Imogene King developed a conceptual model for nursing in the mid 1960’s with
the idea that human beings are open systems interacting with the environment (King,
1981). King’s work is considered a conceptual model because it comprises both a
conceptual framework and a theory (Fawcett, 2000). King’s Conceptual Framework and
Theory of Goal Attainment and use of the model in an emergency room setting are
discussed. Finally, King’s work is compared to rural nursing theory in an effort to
identify common themes.